John Shearer, Getty Images for the Recording Academy
When Coldplay closed out their headlining 19-song Lollapalooza set with fireworks, things turned a little too real for those up front. As rapid-fire explosions went off above the stage to the beat of their new track 'Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall,' a waterfall of tiny black gunpowder granules showered the audience. But, if you are one of the world's biggest bands and it took you "20 years to get to Lollapalooza," as frontman Chris Martin told the audience mid-set, why not go out with a bang?
Apart from a quick-yet-poignant Amy Winehouse dedication that saw Martin croon the chorus of the late soul-singer's hit 'Rehab' from his piano, Coldplay's setlist didn't steer too far away from their performance this past June at Glastonbury. The band played three other new tracks -- 'MX/Hurts Like Heaven,' 'Major Minus' and 'Us Against the World,' which Martin joked was inspired by the idea of a "potential love affair between Bill O'Reilly and Sarah Palin" -- that are anticipated for their upcoming, as-yet-untitled fifth album.
"This is the first song we ever played in America," Martin informed the crowd before hitting the falsetto chorus on 'Shiver,' off their 2000 debut album 'Parachutes.' To pump up the crowd before taking to their instruments, the show started with a two-song medley, as Jay-Z's '99 Problems' segued into the theme from 'Back to the Future.' Showing his affection for his fans and the sea of heads before him, Martin promised early on from the stage, "Every single one of you, we're going to try and rock your f---ing socks off." He twirled, somersaulted, threw his arms up into the air as the
